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Showing 1301 – 1320 of 15962 publications

Unveiling the importance of touristic destinations: A socio-economic and community based analysis of Chhatarpur district

Khajuraho Group of Monuments — 2026 — WHE4A5131F928

Tourism significantly boosts regional development by fostering job creation, cultural heritage promotion, and economic growth. A study on the Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Chhatarpur district, Bundelkhand, reveals that tourism enhances livelihoods, infrastructure, employment, and cultural preservation while raising awareness for historic conservation. The research adopted a socio-economic and community-based approach to assess these impacts, highlighting both opportunities and challenges for sustainable tourism growth. Key findings underscore the potential of heritage tourism to stimulate social development and economic prosperity in the region.

Unveiling the Invisible

Sun Temple, Konârak — 2026 — WHED4CCE1E334

Traditional fishing village Nolia Sahi, near the Sun Temple at Konârak, embodies rich intangible cultural heritage (ICH) that sustains community identity and resilience despite environmental challenges. The study reveals how socio-spatial practices—such as multifunctional built environments, gender-embedded roles, and culturally embedded gathering spaces—adapt to economic and climate pressures while preserving ICH. These findings highlight the potential for integrating traditional knowledge into sustainable coastal development, heritage tourism, and disaster-resilient planning. Recommendations include heritage-sensitive urban design, community-led tourism initiatives, infrastructure upgrades that respect cultural practices, and financial empowerment programs for women and youth in cultural economies.

Urban Governance and Water Management in the Indus Valley: Rethinking Early State Formation in South Asia

Dholavira: a Harappan City — 2026 — WHE540A0FBD95

A groundbreaking reinterpretation of governance in the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE) reveals that early state formation in South Asia was likely driven by institutional systems and infrastructure rather than centralized monarchy or monumental displays. Analysis of archaeological data from key urban centers, including Dholavira, Mohenjo-daro, and Harappa, demonstrates high levels of institutional coordination through standardized construction practices, regulated trade systems, and advanced water management structures. These findings challenge traditional models that prioritize kingship and monumental architecture, instead highlighting collective governance, environmental management, and civic responsibility as alternative pathways to complex political organization.

Urban Heritage After War Destruction: Heritage Dynamics in the Buffer Zone of Aachen Cathedral

Aachen Cathedral — 2026 — WHEF7771A03AB

Aachen Cathedral's buffer zone reflects evolving heritage dynamics, with only 4% of buildings protected post-2013 and 55% rebuilt. This study reveals how contemporary interventions integrate into historical urban fabric, challenging traditional notions of heritage significance. By analyzing 405 protected structures—considering protection dates, construction periods, reconstructions, and uses—the research offers insights into the management of UNESCO-listed sites. It underscores that heritage now encompasses identity, continuity, and modern integration, moving beyond historical or universal value alone.

Urban Morphology and Its Master Plan of Jaipur City

The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur — 2026 — WHEEB70A6570D

Jaipur's urban form, shaped by its strategic geography and deliberate planning philosophies, offers a model for harmonizing heritage conservation with modern urbanization. The city's evolution—marked by its 18th-century gridiron layout, 19th-century expansion beyond walled limits, and contemporary challenges like unregulated growth—reveals the tension between traditional wisdom and sustainable development. While early planning prioritized environmental harmony and social hierarchy, current threats such as urban sprawl and infrastructure deficits demand integrated strategies for heritage preservation. Advanced spatial technologies and socio-economic research are proposed to balance rapid urbanization with the conservation of Jaipur's historic fabric, providing global insights for similar cities.

Urban Morphology as a Framework for Post-War Resilience and Recovery in Aleppo

Ancient City of Aleppo — 2026 — WHE24D88C0C8B

Aleppo's post-war recovery should prioritize fabric-specific strategies over density metrics, leveraging urban morphology to guide context-sensitive reconstruction. The study reveals that the city comprises distinct historical layers with varied resilience capacities, necessitating tailored approaches such as preservation-sensitive rehabilitation and reinforcement of public nodes. By analyzing four neighborhoods—Jdaideh, Azizieh, Mohafaza, and Jabal Badro—using a qualitative historical-morphological method, researchers identified unique spatial characteristics and vulnerabilities. This framework proposes incremental upgrading and governance-aware phasing to address the complexities of rebuilding a UNESCO World Heritage Site with deep temporal persistence and planning significance.

Urban Planning of Mohenjo-Daro: A Way forward for Contemporary Sustainable Infrastructure

Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro — 2026 — WHEE496BDDEBE

Ancient urban planning techniques from Mohenjo-Daro, a key city of the Indus Valley Civilization, offer valuable insights for modern sustainable infrastructure. This study reveals that Mohenjo-Daro's advanced architectural strategies can be adapted and revived with innovative approaches to address contemporary developmental challenges. The research employs archival documentation, expert interviews, and literature reviews to analyze historical urban planning practices. By integrating these ancient methods with modern innovations, the findings suggest a pathway for creating sustainable, resilient cities that align with current global emphasis on eco-friendly urban development.

Urban poverty and informality in Southern Europe: a view from Naples

Historic Centre of Naples — 2026 — WHE8D0FB3D391

Naples' urban poverty, characterized by high informality and close social proximity, reveals a distinct southern European model of social regulation. Unlike anomalies of modernity, the city's 'porous' structures both empower disadvantaged groups and entrench inequalities, reflecting broader regional dynamics. The study examines how global forces like migration and tourism reshape Naples' historic center, offering insights into the interplay between local poverty and urban transformation in Southern Europe.

Urban regeneration of industrial heritage cities: A comparative study of textile manufacturing in Łódź (Poland) and Yazd (Iran)

Historic City of Yazd — 2026 — WHEC2AD1CCA49

A comparative analysis of urban regeneration processes in Łódź, Poland, and Yazd, Iran reveals distinct strategies for revitalizing textile manufacturing heritage, shaped by their unique political, cultural, and socio-economic contexts. The study synthesizes findings from six doctoral papers to highlight the values associated with industrial heritage and the role of post-industrial functions in urban management. Through semi-structured interviews, fieldwork, and observational analyses, it evaluates spatial integration principles under the Historic Urban Landscape framework while critically assessing how heritage is represented and interpreted. This research offers transferable strategies for policymakers, urban planners, and heritage managers to promote equitable, culturally informed, and sustainable urban transformation in industrial districts.

Urban Slavery

Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site — 2026 — WHEA4F029A4D6

Archaeological research reveals the often-invisible presence of enslaved individuals in urban settings, highlighting their significant role in economies and societies across Pompeii, Brazil, Charleston, and New Orleans. The study identifies key locations—such as Valongo Wharf in Rio de Janeiro and St. Peter Street cemetery in New Orleans—where material evidence of slavery is preserved. By analyzing documents like fugitive slave advertisements, property records, and funerary artifacts, the research reconstructs the lived experiences and shared cultural practices of enslaved communities. The findings underscore the importance of commemoration efforts in fostering remembrance and healing.

Urban Splendor of Mughal Agra: Settlement Patterns and City Planning

Agra Fort — 2026 — WHE9DD9C8E05E

Agra Fort exemplifies the Mughal era's unique urban planning and defensive architecture. Unlike earlier Timurid cities, Mughal towns like Agra lacked traditional city walls but relied on strategic ditches and moats for defense. The fort's design integrates both military and aesthetic elements, featuring battlemented parapets with oblong merlons, embrasures, and machicolations arranged to deter scaling attempts while maintaining visual harmony. This study reveals the symbiotic relationship between political authorities and commercial classes during the Mughal period, highlighting how Agra's urban layout reflected its strategic importance and cultural significance.

Urban transformation and cultural heritage in the Turkic world: reassessing the Soviet urban heritage

Historic Centre of Bukhara — 2026 — WHEDD82D375D9

A systematic review reveals that approximately 350 hectares of Bukhara's historic urban landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site, were significantly transformed during the Soviet period (1920–1991), disrupting its traditional Islamic structure despite formal monument protection measures. The study identifies three key interpretive frameworks: modernization narratives highlighting infrastructure gains, preservation critiques emphasizing irreversible cultural losses, and an emerging nuanced perspective acknowledging the coexistence of protection and redevelopment. Analyzing 40 scholarly sources and archival materials, the research underscores critical gaps, including limited comparative urban studies, underdocumented erosion of intangible heritage, and a lack of integrative frameworks linking Soviet-era changes to contemporary urban challenges.

Using Choice Experiments to value biodiversity in a Megadiverse Protected Area: The case of Manu National Park, Peru

Manú National Park — 2026 — WHE0E2B379788

A higher willingness to pay for threatened flora in Manu National Park—associated with cultural familiarity—was quantified, revealing non-use values of USD 19.7 million that could support conservation policies. The study used choice experiments to estimate economic value for biodiversity protection and deforestation reduction in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, addressing a gap in evidence for megadiverse countries like Peru where biodiversity loss threatens ecosystem resilience.

Using UAV (drone) technology to measure the dynamics of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham. decline in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, and its relationship to climate change

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve — 2026 — WHE0C9B680013

A significant decline in the health of Abies religiosa trees within Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) was linked to extreme drought conditions exacerbated by climate change. Using UAV technology, researchers detected a sharp drop in tree vigor—measured via NDVI and a new Monthly Dryness Index (MDI)—during a June 2023 heat wave (+2.7°C anomaly), with healthy trees plummeting from 37% to 18%. Regression models confirmed MDI's strong predictive power (R² ≥ 0.94) for tree vitality shifts, underscoring the species' vulnerability during dry seasons. This study highlights how drone-based remote sensing can track climate impacts on ecosystems in real time.

Values assessment to propose guidelines for promoting perception of the cultural landscape: the Ratchadamnoen Road route to access Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn heritage site, Nakhon Si Thammarat

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat — 2026 — WHEBDDA6A2DEA

Ratchadamnoen Road, the primary route to Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn in Nakhon Si Thammarat, holds significant cultural landscape value due to its continuous use and deep community ties. However, new infrastructures along this ancient path disrupt the sense of unity and diminish perceptions of historical continuity. Research using field surveys identified four key aspects—aesthetics, history, knowledge, and social perception—to assess the road's value. The study proposes guidelines to preserve its integrity by maintaining good conditions and ensuring consistency in architectural styles for any new buildings.

Valuing Biodiversity Conservation in Manu National Park: A Choice Experiment Case Study Conducted During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Manú National Park — 2026 — WHE0E44A2DFC8

A groundbreaking study reveals that ecological functionality, such as species interaction networks, is the most influential factor in public preferences for biodiversity conservation in Peru's Manu National Park. Using a choice experiment conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic among 1,005 residents of Metropolitan Lima, researchers found that improvements in functional biodiversity attributes generated significantly higher willingness to pay (WTP) compared to traditional indicators like species counts or habitat loss. This suggests that functional ecological metrics may more effectively communicate complex biodiversity changes to urban populations, offering valuable insights for conservation policy. The study employed mixed logit and latent class models to account for respondent heterogeneity, though its findings are not nationally representative.

Vanishing Waters

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape — 2026 — WHED77B1CC958

Traditional water systems, shaped by long-term human-water-landscape interactions, are disappearing due to neoliberal economies, urbanization, colonization, and environmental mismanagement. A comparative analysis of four case studies—Valli da Pesca Aquaculture System (Italy), Sassi di Matera Water Harvesting System (Italy), Budj Bim Aboriginal Eel Aquaculture System (Australia), and Hiti Pranali Water Stone Spout System (Nepal)—reveals their profound cultural, social, and ecological impacts when disrupted. While these systems face irreversible loss, communities demonstrate resilience through resistance, restoration, and reinterpretation efforts. The study raises critical questions about whether such systems should be revived functionally or preserved as fragile historical memories.

Variation in the Demographic Structure of the Viviparous Toad Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis (Anura: Bufonidae) before and after a Fire in the Altimontane Grasslands of the Mount Nimba Integral Nature Reserve, Westen Côte d’Ivoire

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve — 2026 — WHEFD3B32129F

A severe fire in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve led to a 74% decline in the population of the critically endangered viviparous western toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis), with survivors predominantly found in grassland habitats. Before the fire, the species showed a balanced demographic structure, but post-fire surveys revealed a dramatic increase in juvenile dominance (>80%) and a significant drop in breeding adults. The study suggests that high-intensity fires cause substantial mortality, particularly among vulnerable age classes, and highlight grasslands as crucial refuges for survival. Conducted over 640 person-hours with standardized transect surveys, this research underscores the urgent need for fire management strategies to protect this unique species in its fragile ecosystem.

Variations in the Composition and Structure of Muridae Communities along Gradients of Anthropogenic Disturbance in the Northern Sector of Virunga National Park (PNVi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa)

Virunga National Park — 2026 — WHE06A9869295

Intense anthropogenic pressures in the northern sector of Virunga National Park (PNVi) significantly alter Muridae communities, with species diversity and composition serving as sensitive indicators of habitat disturbance. Research reveals three distinct functional groups: forest-specialist species like Hybomys lunaris and Dasymys montanus thrive only in lightly disturbed habitats, while Lemniscomys striatus and Mastomys natalensis dominate moderately disturbed areas, and Arvicanthis niloticus flourishes in heavily degraded zones. A strong negative correlation (τ = –0.54; p = 0.04) between disturbance intensity and species presence underscores the detrimental impacts of village hunting (37%) and unsustainable agriculture (25%). The study, using indirect tracking methods and statistical analysis, highlights the critical role of habitat integrity in maintaining Muridae richness and resilience, emphasizing the need for strengthened conservation measures to protect threatened species and fragile ecosystems.

Vav ni Dharohar: An Interactive Mobile App with AR Experience of UNESCO World Heritage Site "Rani-ki-Vav"

Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat — 2026 — WHE21F7CFC2D9

A mobile application integrating Augmented Reality (AR) enhances on-site interpretation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rani-ki-Vav, offering visitors detailed insights into its iconography, construction techniques, and cultural symbolism. This portable solution, adapted from a kiosk-based system, enables personalized engagement through smartphone use while maintaining research rigor and stakeholder inclusivity. Human-centered design principles and extensive stakeholder collaboration ensured the app's accessibility and cultural relevance, demonstrating AR technology's potential to improve heritage interpretation and visitor satisfaction.